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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • g8claimsoffice@gawab.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Francesca Richwald" <francesca_richwald@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 05:47:17 +0000
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
EXCLUSIVE G8 E-MAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD.
VIA CORDERO BRUSKI 45/46 MILANO
BACTH NO: EXG8/EU/0177/82798/005
REF. No: EXG8/EU/12380/70924/005

WINNING NOTIFICATION/PROCESSING ADVICE

This is to inform you of the release of the G8 E-MAIL LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL/WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 9TH OF OCTOBER 2005. Due to the mix up of numbers, the results were released on the 10TH OF OCTOBER 2005. Your email address attached to Ticket No:7804468845 with Serial No 0252393053 drew the lucky numbers of 05-07-65-11-92 which subsequently wonthe lottery in the 1st category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of 1,450,000.00 EUROS(ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND EUROS ONLY) in credited to a file reference number SBNA 6483490491.This is from total prize money of 7,250,000.00 EUROS shared among the international winners in our 1st -5th categories.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 company email addresses and 3,000,000 individual email addresses from all search engines and website all over the world as part of International Promotions Program,conducted every TWO years ,and this is promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities FROM THE G8.

CONGRATULATIONS! Your funds is now in custody of a financial/Security company insured in your FILE REFERENCE and covered with HIGH INSURANCE POLICY.Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. To process your claim, please contact your file/claim officer:

DR.MANSELL ENRICO
EXCLUSIVE G8 E-MAILS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION,SPA.on
Email:g8claimsoffice@gawab.com

Make sure that you quote your winning references in all your correspondence with them. Please be informed that NON RESIDENCE of ITALY will be required to procure an Affidavits of Lotto Claim/Court clearance certificate from the Court in ITALY prior to European Gaming Board as required by the
paying Authority.Please be aware that your Paying Authority will Effect Payment Swiftly upon satisfactory Report, For due processing and remittance of your winning prize to designated account of your choice, please treat as urgent.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your correspondences with your agent and all reply must be via email as to ensure the legibility. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 30TH OF OCTOBER 2005. After this date all unclaimed, funds will be included in the next stake.

Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program. Note: Anybody under the age of 19 is automatically disqualified.

Yours Sincerely,
Francesca Richwald.
Lottery Coordinator

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam